THE US, THE UN AND THE IRAQIS THEMSELVES, V. 7.0

Victors do not commit war crimes they are only committed by losers.

The Butler report should make interesting reading about how raw intelligence was refined and manipulated for public consumption. I think there's a world of difference between intelligence as reported to govt. and intelligence as the govt reports it to the people.

But at the end of the day, if the govt. acts illegally by invading a sovereign state in an act of "pre emptive self defence" against a threat that turns out to be non existant, so what? It doesn't change anything. We can't un-invade Iraq.

Even if Elizabeth Wilmshurst put together a bullet proof legal argument that Tony Blair acted illegally in invading Iraq, it doesn't matter. Blair will just wheel out his old mate Lord Goldsmith to say he acted legally and that's that. And if he won't do it he'll appoint another Attorney General who will.

We can't un-invade Iraq but Tony Blair could be summoned to the international court in The Hague to explain why he lied to Parliament and promoted an illegal attack on another country.

When the Milosevic trial finishes, the Blair trial could start. Then, he could be put in prison for his crimes.

That will happen when fishes can fly and birds can swim.

Not really, since even today the UK is thought to have a well-working juridical system. :wink:

Cormorant penguin flying fish exocetae

Sorry

Aren't lawyers still trying to prove Britain acted illegally in putting Boer civilians into concentration camps during the Boer War? Conclusion due soon.

Steve, you should not have a disregard for the law.
Cynicism is fine. I expect that. But we are supposed to live in a society ruled by law. Mr Bush and Mr Bliar have might on their side, but they should not be allowed to think themselves above the law.

At the very least (and we've not got to that yet, I continue to hope for the very most) Mr Blair should apologise to Parliament for misleading it, and to the Iraqis for liberating so many of them through death.

McTag
Haven't you heard? Might makes right. That is the way it is and always has been. The meek shall inherit the earth is an old fishwives tale.

Yes. What's meek about charging a criminal with his crimes?

Meek would be to pretend it hasn't happened.

McTag

The reality is that might makes right. Standing at the shore and trying to stop the tide from rising will give you the same results.
I am not commenting on whether it is right or wrong. Just on what is.

Thank you for explaining that to me.

Old Greek proverb: "Little flies are caught on spiders' webs, but big bumble bees fly straight through."

I'm not saying that I think Bliar and GWB will be brought to justice. Only that I think they should be.

Understand

I don't have disrespect for the law, as I was explaining to a policeman just the other day, but international law seems to be a different kettle of fish altogether.

It seems to me that Governments make it up between themselves as they go along. They bend over backwards to stay legal but the reality is that they do what they want and bend or change the rules to suit.

If Blair was caught red handed behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta or whatever it is he drives doing 90 mph on the M1, hell and high water (or Lord Goldsmith) could not save him from a speeding ticket. But taking the country to war on a false prospectus (knowingly or not) causing the deaths of thousands and wasting billions of pounds...well thats simply a matter of judgement...isnt it?

McTag's quote, "When the Milosevic trial finishes, the Blair trial could start. Then, he could be put in prison for his crimes." I disagree; GWBush must follow Milosevic to trial - not Tony Blair.

. C.I.
They are a matched set and in the interest of equal opportunity they should go as a pair.

c.i., thank you....I was limiting my attack to the British side of the pond, lest I upset my American friends (I must have one or two)

Meanwhile, from The Indy today, Mr Blair is taking my advice, or trying to wriggle out from under; a damage-limitation exercise is apparently being prepared:


Blair to offer partial apology over war
By Andrew Grice, Political Editor
06 July 2004
Tony Blair is preparing to issue a partial apology over Iraq in response to strong criticism of Britain's pre-war intelligence about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction expected in the Butler inquiry report next week.
The Prime Minister has rejected the idea of saying "sorry" for the war when the investigation reports a week tomorrow, but is being urged by close advisers to admit that mistakes were made in the gathering of the intelligence and its use by the Government.
In a Commons statement on the day the report is published, Mr Blair will try to finally end debate over the Iraq war by promising to implement the inquiry's recommendations about the use of such intelligence in the future.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=538516

This is for those of you who have a high-speed Internet connection.

The Information Clearinghouse website is offering a free download of
an 87 minute documentary entitled "Uncovered: The Whole Truth About
the Iraq War".

If you want to download this movie, it's only available until
tomorrow (July 7, 2004). It's a very large file: 47 MB, I believe.

(To save the file, click on the part that says "Right click on this
link, then click on "save target as" to save this video to your
computer." )

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article6423.htm

The movie is scheduled to be released at the same time as the
Republican National Convention.

This is a brief description of the content:

Uncovered: The Whole Truth About The Iraq War

Robert Greenwald - 87 minutes: Windows Media

An impressive roster of experts is assembled to provide a generally
withering commentary on the quality of evidence and possible
motivations of the Neo-conservatives who provided the momentum and
muscle behind America's venture into preemptive war. Among them are
veteran CIA analysts and operatives, military officers, diplomats,
politicians, arms inspectors, and U.S. and British government
officials. The fig leaf of the possibility of an honest mistake on
the matter of WMDs is stripped away; what is left is the stark and
disturbing anatomy of deliberate deceit.

More background info on the movie is available here:
http://www.truthuncovered.com/

Thanks McTag!

Cycloptichorn